Glossop councillors slam changes to local plan

Cllrs Anthony McKeown, Bob McKeown, Edward Siddall, Ellie Wilcox, Colin Waude, Graham Oakley, Godfrey Claff and Garry Parvin at Adderley Place, one of the controversial green areas that could be included within the local plan. Photo contributed.

Published:16:00Wednesday 27 November 2013

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Glossopdale Labour councillors have expressed concern over plans to boost the number of houses in the High Peak Local Plan, branding the figure “eye-wateringly high”.

At a workshop at Bradbury House, Glossop, yesterday (Wednesday), councillors were expected to vote on an increase of housing sites, as the Government supply target is set to be 400 homes per year for the borough.

The council’s current preferred target of building is an average of 270 homes per annum. If the Planning Inspectorate deems the figure too low, the local plan will be rejected by the Government.

Whitfield Cllr Graham Oakley, said: “The Government needs to wake up and smell the coffee. Instead of forcing an eye-wateringly high figure on the High Peak, it needs to focus on areas that want and need housing, and it needs to offer much more than tokenistic support to young people trying to access the property market.”

Padfield Cllr Ellie Wilcox, agreed, saying she was “disappointed” with the Government’s insistence of a higher number, especially as this strategy was unlikely to address the immediate housing crisis.

“In the High Peak we need to have much more affordable housing, as well as more social housing options, but these sites will not necessarily meet these aims,” she added. “Developers will be looking to maximise their profits with large executive homes.”

Cllr Garry Parvin, of Old Glossop, said the community should prepare itself for some “controversial” green areas being added to the plan, such as Adderley Place, pictured.

A final draft of the local plan is expected to be approved by full council in February, before it faces a final round of consultation and is submitted to the Government planning inspector next autumn.